Reinforcing means of shipping frangible tubes



Nov. 7, 1950 KINGSTQN 2,528,959

REINFORCING MEANS OF SHIPPING FRANGIBLE TUBES Filed Dec. 6, I946 l7 GEORGE A. KINGSTON Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

REINFORCING MEANS OF SHIPPING FRANGIBLE. TUBES.

George A. Kingston, Minneapolis, Minn.

ApplicationDecembcr 6, 1946, Serial No. 7114.456

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to sectional, frangible tubes and, means for substantially reducing breakage inthe shipping and storing of the same.

Insulating pipe coverings are often made from highly frangible material such as magnesia. Such-coverings are tubular in shape, being made of a pair of cooperating semitubular sections. Breakage of such highly frangible tubes during shipping and storage is substantial. These sections are temporarily clamped together by a wrapping of light weight fabric such as duck or cheesecloth, forming a tubular pipe covering. For shipping andstoring prior to installation, this wrapping is held. in place temporarily by a bonding material applied to several spots onthe cylindrical outer surface adapting the wrapping to be easilyremoved for installing the tubes around pipes. When thewrapping. is removed along one joint, the sections can. be split at that joint and being hinged at theopposite joint, the sections canbe installed around a pipe and'the flexible wrapping re-applied. After installation, a bonding material is-applied to the-entire outer surface of the wrapping and tube to firmly integrate the sections with the, wrapping tube and to clamp the same together about the pipe.

Prior toapplication of the tubes and during shipment and storage, this wrapping only loosely adheres to the encased frangible material and any jarring or vibration may causedisplacement between opposing longitudinal edges of the two abutting sections. Often these displaced edges and end portions of the sections are badly chipped, rendering them ineiiicient for the insulating function the tubes are to perform. This problem would not be as acute if the tubes were of integral construction.

After extensive research and experimentation, I unexpectedly discovered that the fracturing and disintegration of even three foot lengths of such frangible tubes which occurs through impacting during transit and storage, may be substantially eliminated by applying at spaced points, preferably near the ends of the assembled tube sections; comparatively thin, light weight reinforcing plug elements preferably constructed of somewhat compressible material. These plugs support the internal surface of the tube and have a cushioning action against anyjarring or vibration alongwith-thereinforcing action.

It is an object of my invention to provide a novel and inexpensive means for materially reducing breakage of frangible tubes.

l-Eore specifically, it is an object to provide an expandable, slightly compressible disc of light weight for. reducing. chipping and. breakage. of highly frangible; tubes.-

It is a further object. toprovide'a .plug member adapted to reduce breakage of .twoconcentrically disposed. frangible tubes. 7

It is another. object of my'invention. tie-provide as an article of manufacture a sectional, frangible, tubeconstructed with a plurality of plug members for. reducing chipping and breaking in shipment and storage.

These and other objects and. advantages of my invention will more fully appear from the fol.- lowing description made in. connection. with the accompanying drawings wherein like. reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various viewsandrin which:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing a sectional frangible tube bound. together by a. fabric wrap.- ping, constructed'with a plug member insertedin one end. thereof Fig. 2 is an elevation view showing one formv of the disc-like plug removed;

Fig. 3 is a central, transverse section the form of the disc shown in Fig.2;

Fig. 4 is an elevation, view showing another form of the plug, which plug is adapted to receive a small, frangible tube and concentrically retain said tube Within the reinforced, larger tube;-

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal, sectional View showing the form of the plug shown in Fig. 4 with the concentrically disposed tubes reinforced thereby;

Fig. 6 is an elevation view of an alternative form of the plu and Fig. '7 is a centraLtransverse sectional view'of a form of plug shown in Fig. 6. g

The plug members ofmy invention are inex pensively constructed and can be made from cardboard, composition board, laminated card"- board, plywood and the like or preferably of slightly compressiblematerial such as laminated, corrugated cardboard.

Figs. 1 through 3 show one form of my invention designated as form A. A plug or disc member HI preferably made from slightly compressible shock-absorbing material such as corrugated or laminated cardboard is provided. The periphery of said disc'lfl conforms to the ,internalperiphery of a sectional tube T and is, adapted to embrace somewhat resiliently, said internal periphery of the tube T. A plurality of spaced, retaining tabs or flap members It is attached, to the periphery of said disc II] for stabilizing and retaining the disc within the sectional tube T. Corru ated through board is adapted tobe bent and if such a mat rial is used the tabs II can be integra ly formed with the disc Ill forming blanks shaped as shown in Fig.2. Before the discs H] are put into reinforcing position within the tube T the tabs H are bent out at right angles to the plane of the disc l so that the periphery of the disc I0 conforms to the in ide periphery of the tube T. The free end of each retaining flap l I resists removal of the disc m and tends to hold said disc I 0 in reinforcing pos t on within the tube T. An aperture I2 is provided'in the said disc ill to receive a finger for adjusting and positioningsaid disc within the tube T. By embracing the internal periphery of the tube T, this plug mem er Ill has the function of supporting the wallsof the cooperating semi-tubular sections of the frangible tube T when said sections are lightly clamped together on the d sc Ill. The action of the fabric wrapping material in clamping the two sections together and against the periphery of the reinforcing disc [0 provides an integral, stabilized, tubular construction of surprising strength notwithstanding the highly frangible nature of the walls of the tube T.

Figs. 4-. and 5 show a second form of my invention designated as form B. A disc l3 having a peripheral shape to conform with the inside periphery of a sectional tubular member for materially reducing breakage of said tube. A large aperture 14 iscentrally disposed in disc l3, aperture I4 having a periphery to conform with the outside periphery of a small tube S for concentrically suspending the small tube S within the large tube T. A plurality of circumferentially spaced flaps I5 is attached to the periphery of the disc [3 and in the form shown, integrally formed therewith, by cutting the shape of corrugated board shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 5 shows plug B 4 porarily held together by the encircling fabric wrapper.

Indentations, detents or grooves if desired, may be utilized to facilitate precise positioning of the discs or plugs. The top sections are assembled lightly clamping against the peripheries of the plug discs and the wrapper is thereafter applied and bonded lightly thereto, completing the manufacture of the frangible tube, specially constructed for shipment and storage.

It will be seen that in the article ofmanufacture an efficient, strong, integral tube has been provided which will resist and materially reduce chipping and breaking. The disc-like plugs are of very light weight and would add little to the shipping cost of the tube and would not increase the space required for the shipping and packaging of these tubes.

It will also be seen that an effective plug has been provided to reinforce highly frangible tubes and to materially reduce breakage and chipping in the shippin and storage of such tubes. These plugs are of very light construction and being placed within the tube, take up no additional space in shipping and packing and add little, if any, appreciable weight. A type B plug will actually save shipping space by providing a means of retaining a small, frangible tube concentrically within a larger tube and reinforcing inserted in a tube T and having a small tube S inserted through the central aperture M. The tube S is supported concentrically ina substantially floating shock proof position within the large tube T being retained by disc [3 as it is retained. within the large tube T. Thus, form B supports two tubes and materially reduces chipping and breakage of both tubes simultaneously as it conserves space in shipping and storing.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a form C of the reinforcing disc designated as l6. Disc I6 is adapted to fit tightly within a tube .T, its periphery conforming closely to that of the internal periphery of the tubeeT. An adjusting finger aperture I! is centrally disposed Within a disc l6 for positioning and adjusting the disc within the tube T.

These sectional tubes do n-ot'need to be of round cross-sectional shape but might well be polygonal or oval depending upon the shape of the article they are to cover. The internal plug member may be adapted to reinforce tubes of any desired shape.

While as previously pointed out, embodiments of my invention may be well applied as an attachment to assembled or connected frangible insulating tubes and the like, it should be un- .derstood that the combinative relationship of my fracture-preventing and reinforcing elements with the frangible t' be sect ons and wrapping temporaril attached thereto, constitutes and is particularly well adapted for a completed article of manufacture. v

More specifically,.in the assembly of the longitudinal tube sections at the manufacturing plant, the reinforcing plugs or discs may be very easily inserted in the lower tu ular sections as two complementary sections are beingassembled and temboth tubes to resist chipping and breakage. The actual strengthening of the frangible tubes by such an inserted plug member, is surprisingly great when the highly frangible character of the tube is considered. It has been found, however, that chipping and breakage can be very materially reduced by the use of such reinforcing plugs. The problem is greater in shipping sectional, frangible tubes than if such tubes were of unitary construction because the material used in binding the sections together is bonded to the exterior periphery of the sections by only spotted applications of a bonding material. This allows movement between the sections and displacement which makes the edges of each section and the ends of the tube formed, more susceptible to chipping and breakage. By placing a member within the tube formed to embrace and strengthen the interior periphery of the tube, a comparatively strong, stable unit can be constructed from a structure in which the abutting sections were previously susceptible of displacement.

It will of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts without departing from the scope of my invention.

. What I claim is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a sectional, frangible tube constructed for shipment and storage, comprising a, pair of cooperating, semitubular sections constructed of highly frangible material, said sections bein positioned with their corresponding edges substantially in abutment, a plurality of integral plug elements interposed between said sections and having peripheries clo ely con orming to the internal periphery of :aid' s embled sections, a flexible wrapping surrounding at least the greater portion of said sections and having overlapping edges, and means for temporarily securing said overlapping edges to retain said sections against said plug ele,

ments. 7

2. A sectional, frangible tube constructed for shipment and storage, comprising a pair of cooperating semi-tubular sections constructed of highly frangible material, said sections being assembled with their corresponding edges substantially in abutment, a pair of integral plug elements each being positioned within one of the ends of the assembled tube and conforming in peripheral shape to the interior thereof, a flexible wrapping surrounding at least a portion of the assembled tube and retainin said sectionsagainst said plug elements, and means for temporarily securing said wrapping to said sections.

3. As an article of manufacture, a sectional frangible tube constructed for shipment and storage comprising precisely as essential elements a pair of semi-tubular sections having longitudinally abutted edges, a plurality of integral plug members inserted into the opening formed by said abutted sections to closely conform tothe internal periphery thereof, a flexible wrapping surrounding said sections and releasably adhered thereto to permit said sections to be opened and said plug elements removed topermit functional use of said tubes substantially as described.

GEORGE A. KINGSTON.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

